Housing and Homelessness Support Team Leader

Job Description

Housing & Homelessness Support Team Leader

£45,750 – £49,056 per annum

London Borough of Newham is looking for a Housing & Homelessness Support Team Leader to lead our frontline housing service. You'll be the operational lead across our face‑to‑face locations, managing a team of up to 12 officers and ensuring residents can access housing advice, make homelessness applications, and raise housing need enquiries — every day, in person, at the point of need.

This is a leadership role at the frontline: you'll set the standard for how the council shows up for residents facing some of the most difficult moments in their lives.

• Provide day‑to‑day leadership and oversight of frontline teams responding to resident demand at our face‑to‑face locations across the borough.
• Lead on eligibility and homelessness decisions where the position is clear, ensuring residents get a prompt, accurate response.
• Ensure the service meets its statutory obligations under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017).
• Oversee HPAS administration, including invoice processing and delegating tasks such as file copies and basic reporting.
• Work closely with Temporary Accommodation colleagues — handling enquiries, advice, and support for residents in section 188 accommodation.
• Lead on Private Sector Housing advice, working with the Renters Rights Team where breaches are identified.
• Work proactively with the Solutions Team to ensure residents always have access to private rent options to negate homelessness or temporary accommodation.
• Balance early intervention with urgent need, keeping the service responsive without losing sight of prevention.

You’ll be based in the office five days a week, primarily our lead office in Stratford, while leading a team that also operates from the Stratford and Canning Town Housing Hubs. There may be some capacity to work from home up to 1 day a week in agreement with the Senior Manager Pathways where an appropriate solution can be implemented.

You're an experienced housing advisor with detailed, practical knowledge of homelessness legislation and significant frontline experience in a high-demand environment. You're decisive, calm under pressure, and confident managing a team while still being hands‑on with complex cases.

Homelessness in Newham is driven by private sector evictions, overcrowding, and domestic abuse. This role sits at the point where residents meet the council in that moment — it's challenging, but it's also where you can make a direct, visible difference to thousands of lives.

If you're an experienced Housing Advisor (or similar) in a busy London local authority looking for your next step, this role offers real scope for progression.

Interesting. Difficult. Fulfilling. Never boring.

Please note this may close early if we receive a high amount of applications.

Closing date: 31st August 2026

We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti‑racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that’s all that matters to us.

The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

The London Borough of Newham is located only 5 miles east of London. It is well positioned with access to all major networks in London and the south east. It is well connected by public transport with bus, tube and DLR. When the Crossrail service opens it will call at Custom House close to our council offices and also Stratford station and from there to central London.

The London City Airport which serves major European cities is located at Royal Albert Dock. Newham has the youngest overall population in the country. It was one of the six host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics and contains most of the Olympic Park including the London Stadium. It has a thriving arts quarter with the Theatre Royal Stratford East offering excellent entertainment for all the family.

There is the University of East London which has two campuses in Newham, one in Stratford and another next to the regenerated Royal Albert Dock. It also has a large Westfield shopping Centre in Stratford which has all the major retailers there.